That man spoiled his wife so much it was borderline embarrassing—even Laila had to admit it. At first, she'd thought he was one of those sophisticated, elite gentlemen—rational, intelligent, with a strong sense of the bigger picture, someone who managed life with precision and grace.
But in reality?
He was a devoted puppy of a man, absolutely whipped.
To think her mom had found such a perfect man—one who was nothing like he appeared on the surface—it only proved just how sharp her mother's instincts really were.
"He's… alright, I guess," Janet replied, feigning pride, though her voice was full of undisguised happiness.
Laila smiled. "No matter what we've been through… if we finally meet the right person, then we have to hold onto happiness."
She wasn't just saying this for Janet. She was saying it for herself, too.
She always joked that she was a sucker for good looks—but come on, she'd been surrounded by stunning men and women for years. If she really chose partners based on appearance alone, she would've turned gay from temptation ages ago.
She had met her fair share of handsome young men, especially at those industry events she had to attend. Now and then, she'd run into young actors who subtly—or not so subtly—suggested they were willing to make a "trade."
And it wasn't just because of her current status. Even an average director with casting power would get attention like that. But Laila wasn't just any director—her influence in the Hollywood film world was practically unmatched. What kinds of temptations did she encounter? Top-tier. Highly calculated. Utterly tempting.
But through all these years, she had never once wavered.
Yes, Roy was ridiculously good-looking—but even the most beautiful faces lose their magic after you see them enough. So why did her heart still skip a beat every single time she saw Roy?
The answer was simple and clear: Love.
Love added a filter that made everything more beautiful. That's why, in her eyes, he was the most handsome man in the world. That's the real meaning of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"—she only had eyes for him.
That night, Janet and Laila stayed up talking.
They talked about the past, the present, and their hopes for the future.
If not for the fact that there were a million things to do the next morning, the two of them probably would've talked until sunrise.
That night, Laila slept soundly.
She was awakened the next morning by the cry of some unidentifiable bird.
"Hurry up and wash up—we've got a ton to do today!" Janet gave her a little smack on the butt, dragging her out from under the covers.
God knows when she had woken up—outside, the sky was only just beginning to brighten, and Janet was already fully made up!
"Mom, you look so gorgeous. Anyone who didn't know better would think you're the one getting married today," Laila yawned, still sitting on the bed.
Janet, seeing her still acting like a lazy kid, poked her forehead in mock annoyance. "Last night you were acting all mature and dependable. Now look at you—like a little girl again. Come on, get up! I bet Roy's already getting started on his side!"
Laila hadn't meant to sleep in… okay, fine, she had totally meant to sleep in.
It had taken her forever to fall asleep last night. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind filled with chaotic flashes of thought and memory.
As the light outside grew brighter, she finally exhaled deeply and whispered, "I'm really getting married today." Her fiancé was about to become her husband. The thought felt strangely surreal—but also made her heart flutter.
Why was that?
"Still not getting up?" Janet glared at her.
"I'm up, I'm up!" Laila reluctantly got out of bed.
She hadn't been married before, but she'd seen enough movies and TV shows to know that a bride's wedding day was packed. Sure enough, as soon as she finished washing up, she was immediately surrounded by people—hair stylists, makeup artists, manicurists.
For the next few hours, all she could do was sit still in a chair and let them work their magic.
Janet didn't idle either. Once Laila was in her wedding dress, she kept adjusting and fixing every little detail, determined that there wouldn't be a single flaw.
Today's wedding dress was, without a doubt, the one Janet was most proud of.
God knew how long she had waited for this day.
Ever since her daughter got a boyfriend, Janet had been sketching wedding dresses—designing while dreaming about her daughter walking down the aisle. But then Laila took a full ten years to finally step into marriage.
The one silver lining?
She'd had all that time to perfect the design.
And now, right before the wedding, she had finally finished her most satisfying masterpiece.
She firmly believed that Laila would be the most beautiful and happiest bride in the world.
Laila noticed Janet staring at her in a daze, eyes slightly red. She didn't know what her mother was thinking—but somehow, she could feel her emotions, and that same sour ache welled up in her chest.
"Mom, don't look at me like that… or I'll start crying."
"Cry over what?" Janet blinked rapidly, subtly wiping away the moisture in her eyes before shooting Laila a glare. "You're just getting married, not moving to the other side of the world!"
Laila didn't reply—just smiled at her silently, until Janet's face turned a bit pink from being stared at.
"Alright, alright. Want to look in the mirror? See what you look like now?" she said quickly, changing the subject.
Laila, of course, wanted to see the result of being dolled up like a life-sized Barbie for hours. She grinned. "I really want to see how beautiful the wedding dress my mom designed for me turned out to be."
Even before she put it on, she knew it would be stunning. The dress was adorned with gems, lace, and intricate French embroidery. Honestly, she had joked it might make her look more like a Christmas tree—but considering the cost of the dress, being a very expensive tree didn't sound too bad.
She had expected the final look to be glamorous.
What she didn't expect, however, was just how powerful the design would be until she saw herself in the full-length mirror.
Laila had a tall, slender figure. Due to her childhood illness, she had never been very curvy—but thanks to Claire and Roy constantly keeping an eye on her health, she had gained some healthy weight. Now, at least, she didn't look too thin.
Her figure was made for fashion—she was what people called a "natural clothes hanger." The fact that her everyday outfits, often designed by Janet, were frequently featured in fashion magazines said enough.
So once Janet's wedding dress was on her, the mirror immediately reflected a breathtaking vision.
That "Christmas tree" she had imagined? Didn't exist.
Yes, the dress was luxurious—but not at all vulgar. Despite the heavy use of gems and embellishments, Janet's design brought out Laila's beauty rather than overshadowing it. She looked like a true princess.
And Laila's own natural grace added the finishing touch. There was no awkwardness, no sense of "wearing the crown but lacking the presence." She wore it perfectly.
Janet looked at her daughter in the mirror, eyes misting up once again.
Laila saw it through the reflection, so she turned to the mirror and playfully asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"
Then she lowered her voice, answering herself in a mischievous tone: "Of course it's Janet. What—did you think I'd say you?"
"Pfft!" Janet burst out laughing.
The rest of the people in the room cracked up as well.